2 Corinthians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe,* and not according to Christ.
The other night I was innocently watching a hockey game, minding my own business. And then there was a commercial break. That's when it started. Fear and violence came into my home.... by which I mean, more fear and violence than I had seen watching the hockey game. First was a commercial for a new television series about alien invasion. Then came the commercial by one political advocacy group that told me that if I don't recycle my newspaper now, there's no chance of the planet's survival. Immediately followed by another commercial that argued that if I don't call my Senator now to oppose health care reform, then the American way of life is doomed. Last but not least was a commercial for "2012" the new movie based on ancient Mayan predictions that the world will come to a violent end in late 2012. Some of these commercials seemed like well-reasoned and plausible arguments and some were political advertisements. But I was glad for the rest and relaxation of the hockey game after that commercial break.
Fear is all around us. And fear is nothing new. Irrational fear is nothing new. Conspiracy theories and "end-of-days" scenarios have been around a very long time. Let me quote Paul again: "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ." The only thing that can possibly combat all this fear and all this uncertainty about the future is certainty grounded in Christ. Christ has already won the victory for us on the cross. In the grandest sense of things, in the great sweep of history, everything's going to be OK, because we are resting in God's strong and gentle hands.
Now, back to the hockey.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Join together for worship this Sunday at 8:30 and 11. If you have thoughts you'd like to share about these devotional messages, you can head over to http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com
Friday, November 13, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
ASLC Devotions -- Thursday
1 Timothy 6:17 As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
It's all about hope and trust. Where do we put our hope and our trust? The life of faith isn't so much about circumstance: what we have and what we don't have at any given moment. But it's about what and who we trust to provide what we need. In this letter to Timothy, the author doesn't say anything about standing with God based on riches. There are some who believed that those who are rich must be loved by God more... look at their riches as evidence of God's love. There are some who believed that the rich must have done something bad to get their wealth and God didn't love them. But those questions are irrelevant. The relevant questions are those of hope. Where do you put your hope?
Are you going to hope in riches that come and go? Are you going to hope in riches that cannot buy you what you really need? Place your hope in the God who provides everything we could possibly need.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Join us for worship this weekend: 8:30 and 11 on Sunday with Education Hour at 9:45.
It's all about hope and trust. Where do we put our hope and our trust? The life of faith isn't so much about circumstance: what we have and what we don't have at any given moment. But it's about what and who we trust to provide what we need. In this letter to Timothy, the author doesn't say anything about standing with God based on riches. There are some who believed that those who are rich must be loved by God more... look at their riches as evidence of God's love. There are some who believed that the rich must have done something bad to get their wealth and God didn't love them. But those questions are irrelevant. The relevant questions are those of hope. Where do you put your hope?
Are you going to hope in riches that come and go? Are you going to hope in riches that cannot buy you what you really need? Place your hope in the God who provides everything we could possibly need.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Join us for worship this weekend: 8:30 and 11 on Sunday with Education Hour at 9:45.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
ASLC Devotions -- Wednesday
Psalm 94:17 If the Lord had not been my help,
my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.
In my life as a pastor I have gotten to know several veterans.... veterans of every conflict since World War II. There are amazing stories to be told by those who either volunteered or were drafted to serve in the military. Most who have served are pretty reticent to tell their stories, but the stories are amazing when they begin to flow. What are most powerful for me are those stories of survival: survival in the face of huge odds. A jump out of a crashing bomber, the beaches of Normandy, the frozen Yalu River, the heat of DaNang, and the eerie still of a Mosul evening. The stories that I have heard all bear witness to unanswerable questions of "Why me?" and gratefulness for survival.
What all the veterans that I have known will also tell you is that God has no special protection for veterans or for those in war. Their stories can be examples for the rest of us, for those of us who live our daily lives in less obvious danger. But through stories of survival in Normandy and in Baghdad we learn again that we are dependent on God for every good gift, even for life itself.
Thanks be to God for those who have served. And thanks be to God for the gift of life.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Join us this evening (Wednesday) for Holden Evening Prayer at 7 pm.
my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.
In my life as a pastor I have gotten to know several veterans.... veterans of every conflict since World War II. There are amazing stories to be told by those who either volunteered or were drafted to serve in the military. Most who have served are pretty reticent to tell their stories, but the stories are amazing when they begin to flow. What are most powerful for me are those stories of survival: survival in the face of huge odds. A jump out of a crashing bomber, the beaches of Normandy, the frozen Yalu River, the heat of DaNang, and the eerie still of a Mosul evening. The stories that I have heard all bear witness to unanswerable questions of "Why me?" and gratefulness for survival.
What all the veterans that I have known will also tell you is that God has no special protection for veterans or for those in war. Their stories can be examples for the rest of us, for those of us who live our daily lives in less obvious danger. But through stories of survival in Normandy and in Baghdad we learn again that we are dependent on God for every good gift, even for life itself.
Thanks be to God for those who have served. And thanks be to God for the gift of life.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Join us this evening (Wednesday) for Holden Evening Prayer at 7 pm.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
ASLC Devotions -- Tuesday
Deuteronomy 10:17-18 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe, who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them with food and clothing.
In worship on Sunday we heard about widows. We heard the story of the widow of Zarephath who hosted Elijah in her room, and whose jar of meal and didn't empty until everyone had eaten and until the famine in her land had ended. And we heard about the widow in the temple treasury who trusted God so completely that she gave her last two copper coins and was praised by Jesus.
And she was noticed by Jesus. Perhaps that is the greatest gift that Jesus gave to her (and to us). He noticed her. The invisible widow, who walked quietly and alone up to the treasury to give her offering, is invisible no more. The voiceless widow, who had no-one to speak for her, now has the Son of God to speak her praise and to tell her story. God executes justice for the orphan and the widow. Justice begins with paying attention. What needs your attention today?
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Remember to join us for Holden Evening Prayer tomorrow evening (Wednesday) at 7 pm.
In worship on Sunday we heard about widows. We heard the story of the widow of Zarephath who hosted Elijah in her room, and whose jar of meal and didn't empty until everyone had eaten and until the famine in her land had ended. And we heard about the widow in the temple treasury who trusted God so completely that she gave her last two copper coins and was praised by Jesus.
And she was noticed by Jesus. Perhaps that is the greatest gift that Jesus gave to her (and to us). He noticed her. The invisible widow, who walked quietly and alone up to the treasury to give her offering, is invisible no more. The voiceless widow, who had no-one to speak for her, now has the Son of God to speak her praise and to tell her story. God executes justice for the orphan and the widow. Justice begins with paying attention. What needs your attention today?
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Remember to join us for Holden Evening Prayer tomorrow evening (Wednesday) at 7 pm.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
ASLC Devotions -- Wednesday
10Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right* spirit within me.
11Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your holy spirit from me.
12Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing* spirit. Psalm 51:10-12
Some of you, upon reading this, will begin to sing -- or at least think, "Don't we sing that, sometimes?" Indeed! Much of our liturgy in the Lutheran church comes from scripture, and it's always fun (for me at least!) to see those original passages. Perhaps part of that joy is knowing that what we say in worship is often connected to something bigger than our bulletin or hymnal.
Apart from the cool connection, though, these words are ones that I'll be meditating on today. What does it mean to have a clean heart? A new and right spirit? These verses contain creation, presence and restoration. What in your life needs restoration? How can your willing spirit be sustained? May these words be part of your prayer today, and always.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
For conversation, visit: aslcdevotions.blogspot.com
See you there!
and put a new and right* spirit within me.
11Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your holy spirit from me.
12Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing* spirit. Psalm 51:10-12
Some of you, upon reading this, will begin to sing -- or at least think, "Don't we sing that, sometimes?" Indeed! Much of our liturgy in the Lutheran church comes from scripture, and it's always fun (for me at least!) to see those original passages. Perhaps part of that joy is knowing that what we say in worship is often connected to something bigger than our bulletin or hymnal.
Apart from the cool connection, though, these words are ones that I'll be meditating on today. What does it mean to have a clean heart? A new and right spirit? These verses contain creation, presence and restoration. What in your life needs restoration? How can your willing spirit be sustained? May these words be part of your prayer today, and always.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
For conversation, visit: aslcdevotions.blogspot.com
See you there!
Monday, November 2, 2009
ASLC Devotions -- Monday
Deuteronomy 6:10-12
10 When the Lord your God has brought you into the land that he swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—a land with fine, large cities that you did not build, 11houses filled with all sorts of goods that you did not fill, hewn cisterns that you did not hew, vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant—and when you have eaten your fill, 12take care that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
I'm reminded a bit of a child, who wrapped up in the excitement of a new place, forgets to say "thank you." Perhaps an interpretation that's a bit too simple, but I see us all a little overwhelmed and star-struck sometimes at the bounty that is around us. It can be pretty amazing to take stock of all that we have -- the opportunities, that options, the infrastructure, the relationships.
Take care that you do not forget the Lord. Take care.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
10 When the Lord your God has brought you into the land that he swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—a land with fine, large cities that you did not build, 11houses filled with all sorts of goods that you did not fill, hewn cisterns that you did not hew, vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant—and when you have eaten your fill, 12take care that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
I'm reminded a bit of a child, who wrapped up in the excitement of a new place, forgets to say "thank you." Perhaps an interpretation that's a bit too simple, but I see us all a little overwhelmed and star-struck sometimes at the bounty that is around us. It can be pretty amazing to take stock of all that we have -- the opportunities, that options, the infrastructure, the relationships.
Take care that you do not forget the Lord. Take care.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Friday, October 30, 2009
ASLC Devotions -- Friday
Romans 3:22-24 For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
These were some of the verses we read last Sunday in observation of Reformation Sunday. They come up in the daily lectionary today because tomorrow (October 31) is not really Halloween, it's Reformation Day.. the anniversary of that crazy Martin Luther putting his crazy 95 These up on that church door. So we read them again. But I think it's worth it. Here's why.
I've read these verses hundreds of times. I've preached on them or taught them dozens of times. Confirmation classes, adult classes, new member classes, sermons. I've read them and I've studied them and I've tried to come up with creative ways to talk about them.
And it hit me today: this is really hard stuff.
I WANT to be able to do something. I WANT to be able to please God. I WANT to be able to know I'm on the right track. I WANT to be able to know whether or not I'm being a good Christian. And these words (which I profoundly believe to be true) tell me I can't. It's just a gift.
Sometimes gifts are hard to accept, aren't they?
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Remember our special All Saints schedule: Education at 9:00, Worship at 10:00, Meal following.
Set your clock back Saturday night.
For conversation, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com/
These were some of the verses we read last Sunday in observation of Reformation Sunday. They come up in the daily lectionary today because tomorrow (October 31) is not really Halloween, it's Reformation Day.. the anniversary of that crazy Martin Luther putting his crazy 95 These up on that church door. So we read them again. But I think it's worth it. Here's why.
I've read these verses hundreds of times. I've preached on them or taught them dozens of times. Confirmation classes, adult classes, new member classes, sermons. I've read them and I've studied them and I've tried to come up with creative ways to talk about them.
And it hit me today: this is really hard stuff.
I WANT to be able to do something. I WANT to be able to please God. I WANT to be able to know I'm on the right track. I WANT to be able to know whether or not I'm being a good Christian. And these words (which I profoundly believe to be true) tell me I can't. It's just a gift.
Sometimes gifts are hard to accept, aren't they?
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Remember our special All Saints schedule: Education at 9:00, Worship at 10:00, Meal following.
Set your clock back Saturday night.
For conversation, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com/
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